A nano flash of sight

A research project tackling the leading cause of blindness in Western countries could transform lives, with a cost-effective solution capable of restoring functional vision for the first time.

Nanoflash has secured a prestigious European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder Open award to develop injectable liquid prosthetics that would rewire the retina and return sight to millions around the world suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

AMD affects almost 9% of the global population and is the leading cause of blindness in Western countries, while RP often begins much earlier in life, with most people legally blind by the age of 40. There is currently no cure for either condition.

The multidisciplinary research team is led by Professor Ljiljana Fruk’s BioNano Engineering group at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, working with the Université de Mons, MaxWell Biosystems and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT).

“We want to bring back real, functional vision – not just blurred contrasts,” said Professor Ljiljana Fruk.

Nanoflash technology works by activating the retina’s light-sensitive cells – the rods and cones – which, when damaged, cause vision loss in AMD and RP. The team is developing soft, light-responsive nanoparticles that can be injected into the retina. Once there, the particles stimulate bipolar cells – key neurons that help carry signals to the brain – to restore light-driven activity and reawaken the retina’s on-off response.

The nanoparticles are designed to attach themselves to a specific protein found on bipolar cells. Once in place, the nanoparticles respond to light, helping to restart the visual signal lost in AMD and RP. The proposed design and biocompatibility of nanoparticles means treatment could be delivered through simple, repeatable injections rather than invasive surgery.

Professor Fruk added: “For a long time, we thought that once those bipolar cells stopped working, that was it – like neurons, once dead, they were gone forever. But it has been discovered that they can be switched back on, and that changes everything.

“Using nanotechnology and smart particle design not only opens a new way to restore sight, but also challenges what we thought we knew about the activation and recovery of retinal cells.”

The multidisciplinary project is set to run for 48 months, with researchers aiming to have a viable prototype ready for a clinical testing phase.